In memory of a true Angel

In this job I have the wonderful opportunity to meet new people each week. Some of them will be fleeting interviews and our paths may never cross again. Someone might recognize my byline in the newspaper, remembering when I interviewed him or her at an event like the Dixie Roundup, but we won’t become friends or even acquaintances, just two people who talked to each other somewhere along the timeline of our lives.

There are others I will talk to many times through the years — people like Mayor Dan McArthur, R. Scott Phillips of the Utah Shakespeare Festival and Teri Draper at Dixie Regional Medical Center — and we will come to know each other well, associating many times on the professional level and maybe occasionally in our private lives as we see each other around town.

There’s a third group, though. These people fall somewhere in between. I often meet them in the reporter/source relationship. They have a stories and I try to use my meager talents to tell those stories to the rest of Southern Utah. Yet there is something that sets these people apart from the first group. There’s something about their stories that moves me — that takes me out of my reporter shell and ignites the common humanity we share. They are the people I will think of often, wondering about their lives and what chapters they’ve written past the point of the last period I typed.

Angel Randall was one of those people. She passed away Friday after a long, brave and beautiful fight with cancer.

I first heard about Angel’s story from her friend, Stacee Seegmiller. Stacee told me about this former elementary school teacher battling a terminal brain tumor. Yet Angel was not sitting around waiting to die; she was fulfilling one of her life goals: writing and releasing a children’s book. When Stacee sent me that original email, Deseret Book’s Shadow Mountain Publishing was already in the process of printing the book and preparing for its release.

So I drove up to Enterprise where 27-year-old Angel, the youngest of 13 children, lived with her parents. The following are selections from the article I wrote about her.

It’s fitting that “Snow Angels” is the title of the first book by Enterprise resident Angel Randall.

“I can’t think of a better name for an author than ‘Angel,’ especially for this project,” says Chris Schoebinger, publishing director and creative director for Shadow Mountain Publishing, an imprint of Deseret Book, which will release “Snow Angels” in September. “She’s as genuine as they come.”

…

The author has interacted with many real-life angels in her life recently.

“I consider everybody an angel that I have met,” says the 27-year-old author. “They’re all so good to me. I’m blessed more than I deserve for sure.”

…

She was first diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2004. Eventually after multiple surgeries and radiation treatments, her health improved and she continued on with life, becoming a first-grade teacher at Enterprise Elementary School.

Then in March of 2010 she noticed her hands becoming weak. Eventually her symptoms worsened and soon the right side of her body became paralyzed.

After a visit to the emergency room, Randall was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. The doctors gave her six months to live without treatment or a year with treatment. Now, 16 months later, she has learned to walk again and is about to become a published author.

“I surpassed those odds,” she says. “It goes to show who’s really in charge.”

…

Randall says working on “Snow Angels” not only took her mind off her health, it provided goals for her to achieve.

“The book has been a great blessing in my life,” she says.

…

“Snow Angels” tells the story of two girls who are stuck in the snow so they call for the snow angels to come and help them. After they are saved, the girls decide to become snow angels themselves and help others in need.

“The basic plot is that there are angels all around us and we just need to ask for their help,” Randall says. “They’re always willing and ready to help.”

…

Randall says she still remembers how she felt when she finally saw how the cover of the book would look.

“I was in awe,” she says of seeing her name on a book cover. “I felt very blessed. It was a dream come true.”

…

Randall is not ready to take credit for the story, reverting instead to divine inspiration.

“It wasn’t me that wrote it; I was the instrument.” she says. “I wasn’t able to serve a mission so I figure this is what Heavenly Father has in mind for me.”

Randall was actually preparing to serve a mission for the LDS Church when the tumor was diagnosed. She had even started the necessary paperwork.

Now the book will act as her testimony to the world.

I saw Angel a few weeks later at the Enterprise Corn Fest. She was there to sign copies of her book, all of which sold out. I wasn’t the only journalist who had shown an interest in the story, so there was something of a buzz. A worker from the Deseret Book in St. George said it was easily the most popular author-signing event the store had hosted. I stood in line myself, waiting for Angel to sign a copy of “Snow Angels” for me.

This book signing was not easy for Angel. Her weakened hands delicately gripped the black marker she used to write short messages for her fans. It seemed to take all of her concentration to form each letter. Yet within that physical weakness I could see her immense spiritual strength. This was not an easy task but she loved every second.

As a young teenager, my father took me from Idaho to Salt Lake City to have five comic books signed by X-Men writer Chris Claremont at a shopping mall. I was in heaven. A few years ago my sister presented me with a signed copy of Mitch Albom’s “Have a Little Faith,” with a personal message from the journalist-turned-author to me. As much as I loved those comics as a kid and as much I will continue to be inspired by Albom’s short note to me, I will treasure even more that little message from Angel Randall because of the heart and soul she put into it:

Unfortunately I only saw Angel once after Corn Fest. It was December and I had spent the afternoon snowshoeing in Pine Valley for an outdoors story. I has previously called Angel and asked if I could stop by and visit her in Enterprise. I had another book I wanted her to sign for my sister’s Christmas present. Really, though, I just wanted to visit her again. She was one of those people from that third group that had ignited some of that common humanity in me.

Soon I was sitting in the same chair where I conducted the interview but the relationship had changed. It wasn’t a reporter/source situation. In fact, out of the thousands of stories I’ve written in my short journalism career, I have only ever gone to visit a former source on a few occasions. Sitting and talking with Angel I realized we had become friends.

We talked about many things. I got the update on her book and her family. But this time it was her turn to ask me questions as well, not the one-sided interview of a few months earlier. I spoke about my family and how I had lost two of my grandparents earlier that year. Suddenly I felt self-conscious. I had just brought up death with a terminally ill young woman. I didn’t know what to say. I looked at her and wondered why something so painful and tragic had to happen to someone so kind and compassionate — to someone so young with a full life ahead of her.

Then we talked about my sister. Maybe it’s because Angel was only a couple of years younger than my only sibling. Maybe it was because my sister works for Scholastic, a children’s book publisher, and Angel was excited that her book would be in the hands of a member of Scholastic’s book fair selection committee. Maybe it’s because they had both been through chemotherapy — my sister for lupus. But as we talked, Angel said something that just astounded me. I don’t remember the exact words, but the basic idea was the following: “I’m amazed at how resilient people can be through their struggles. They are faced with so much, yet they keep going and doing good things with their lives.”

The thing was, I was looking at someone who exemplified that statement. Angel was perfectly describing herself, yet her humility was such that she didn’t even realize it.

Our visit came to an end. I asked her to sign the book for my sister and this time her hands seemed even weaker. She asked me, in turn, to sign a copy of the article I wrote about her. Then I gently gave her a hug, lightly holding her fragile frame as I said goodbye.

That was the last time I saw Angel. I wish it wasn’t. In the months since I’ve often thought of stopping by to say “hi” but life got in the way. If I had traveled through Enterprise I would have stopped. I wish I had traveled to Enterprise.

On June 3 I received a text message from Angel:

“Hi. It’s Angel. Are you okay?”

“Hi Angel. I am well. How are you?”

“Oh, I am well. Just a feeling I got yesterday.”

I told her I had been really busy. Work was kind of crazy and I was a little stressed. “I’ll come visit if I make it up to Enterprise this summer,” I texted back.

“Sounds good.”

I wish I had made it up to Enterprise.

It was also from Angel’s friend Stacee that I heard about Angel’s final mortal chapter via email Sunday morning. Stacee sent the email Friday, shortly after Angel passed away. Saturday night, not knowing the email was sitting in my inbox, I told my girlfriend that I had been thinking of Angel for some reason that day. I wondered how she was doing. I thought I might even have a chance to visit her next weekend when we went up to Pine Valley.

Sunday morning I opened my email. I saw the message from Stacee in my inbox and I knew I had missed my chance.

As journalists we often try to separate ourselves from the story so our biases do not influence our writing. But some stories get to us. We are, after all, human.

14 Responses to In memory of a true Angel

Great article. Angel was truly an “angel” of a person. Even though she only knew us through Stacee (our daughter-in-law), she made special attempts to say Hi to us when she saw us. What an amazing person she was – Her name fits – “Angel” will always live on in our hearts.

I met Angel almost 5 years ago as we were passing in the hallway at the temple. There was something about her that instantly inspired me to be a better person. The more I saw her, the more I grew to love her. She was so happy, always a smile on her face. She just made it a wonderful, pleasant experience to be around her.

I slowly watched her body decline in health but her spirit always was bright — just how I imagine an angel in heaven would be. I love her and I will dearly miss her sweet spirit.

I believe we meet different people at the time in our lives when we need them most — and I needed her strength and willingness to love. She taught me so much about the kind of person I want, and needed, to be— she has the qualities I admire most in a person.

Thank you for paying tribute to a young woman who I am so thankful to have met.

Angel was in my ward and she had the strongest testimony of anyone I know. In my opinion, she was the closest thing to being perfect on this earth. I just wish I could have spent more time with her. I will miss her very much! Her family is also very strong and inspiring! She had to get that awesome attitude somewhere!

I got the honor of growing up around Angel. She was just a couple of years older than me, and we were in the same ward. My mom was her Sunday School teacher as well as her Young Women’s Leader twice, and they had a very special relationship. My mom just had a birthday the first of August, and even in her weak condition, Angel gave her a card and wrote her a little note and signed her name. My mom showed it to me and I sat and cried.
I’ve never known anyone as special as Angel. Her name fit her to a T. She never let her illness get the best of her, and she showed our whole town what a true hero is. She will be very missed by us all, but we have all been very blessed to know a true Angel.

Tracy thank you for what you said. I remember Angel well as well. She was always so nice to the little 8th grader who wanted to hang out with the seniors. you don’t find that often… I know I also teach and see that interaction she was truly a special angel on Earth.

I met Angel while I was at our Physical Therapy clinic here in Enterprise. I was having Therapy for Bilateral Knee Replacement. We were both struggling to ride our stationary bikes. I introduced myself to her and asked who she was. She shared her story with me and I shared my story with her. She was so sympathetic for me, and it made me feel like, wow, here I am having a pity party and here sits this beautiful young woman , who has known more pain and suffering than I ever have. She was so brave, so loving and kind!! She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her!!

Brian,
Thank you for this beautiful tribute! I wondered on the way home tonight from the viewing if she really understood just how many people she has had an influence on. I’ve kept a picture, taken by her Mom, of Angel, my husband and myself of my iPhone. It was taken at her book signing here in Enterprise. This past week I’ve looked at that picture several times and each time I have expressed my gratitude for knowing such an incredible young woman — a true angel.

My oldest son, Reed, was in Angels first 1st grade class. He LOVES her so much! Hearing of her passing has been difficult for him, we live in Florida which is just too far away. As a mother I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher for my son. She was kind, creative, strict w/ just enough silly/funny thrown in. She attended baseball games, basketball games, came to his baptism & brought him a gift he STILL has a CTR tie pin. She has been & will continue to be a HUGE influence in his life & mine. Those blessed to know her now have the challenge of touching others as she did. Love & miss you Angel.

Thank you for sharing your special time with Angel. She will continue to effect many lives for the better. She helped myself, my family and my classroom with her spirit and love that she just emitted. She is our Angel, now and forever.